Cottage Garden (2016) Board Game

Cottage Garden is a board game designed by the renowned Uwe Rosenberg and released in 2016 by Edition Spielwiese. The game falls under the categories of Abstract Strategy, Farming, and Puzzle, making it a unique and engaging experience for players.

Game Components of Cottage Garden

Polyomino flower planters

Garden plots (two per player)

Flower-pots and cloches (red and blue points respectively)

Scoring cubes (six separate cubes)

Cat tokens (wild 1×1 tiles)

Hive tokens (extra points at the end)

Gardener die

How To Setup Cottage Garden

To set up the game, each player receives two garden plots. The nursery, a 4×4 grid of polyominos, is placed in the center. The gardener die is positioned on the nursery, and each player starts with a set of scoring cubes. The game includes a waiting pile of additional garden plots that players will draw from as they complete their current plots.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Gameplay Mechanics

Tile Placement: Players take turns selecting polyomino flower planters from the nursery to place on their garden plots.

Scoring: Points are scored based on the completed garden plots, with red points for flower-pots and blue points for cloches.

Resource Management: Players manage their scoring cubes, which move along tracks as plots are completed.

Denial Mechanic: Players can strategize to deny opportunities to their opponents.

Game Objective

The objective is to accumulate the most points by efficiently placing flower planters, completing garden plots, and managing scoring cubes.

Player Experience

Cottage Garden offers a satisfying and engaging experience, particularly for fans of puzzle and tile-laying games. The game requires strategic thinking, as players must anticipate future moves and balance the desire to complete their plots with the need to deny opportunities to their opponents. However, the availability of cat tokens can make the game feel too controllable, reducing the tension typically associated with Tetris-style games.

Pros

Engaging Puzzle Mechanics: The game involves intriguing polyomino placement challenges.

Strategic Depth: Players need to think several moves ahead and consider their opponents’ strategies.

Accessible: The game is lightweight and enjoyable for a wide range of players.

Variety in Scoring: Multiple scoring tracks and bonus tokens add complexity and variety.

Cons

Overly Controllable: The ease of using cat tokens can diminish the game’s core tensions.

Complex Scoring System: The scoring mechanism, while interesting, can be overly complicated.

Lack of Urgency: Unlike some other puzzle games, Cottage Garden does not have the same sense of urgency or brink-of-failure excitement.

Personal Thoughts on Cottage Garden

Cottage Garden is ideal for fans of Uwe Rosenberg’s other works, such as Patchwork, and for those who enjoy puzzle and tile-laying games. It is a good fit for players who appreciate strategic challenges but may not be the best choice for those seeking high-stakes, high-tension gameplay. The game’s accessibility makes it suitable for a broad audience, from casual gamers to those looking for a lighter yet engaging experience.

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